Fear Not, Joy Has Come!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and Merry Christmas!
This morning we are gathered here the last Sunday before Christmas, I’d like for you turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 2.
And you may already know that this is the “Christmas Story.”
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
But before we get into the reading I want to talk about Christmas in general just for a second.
And I know that we've been hustling and bustling about getting ready for the "Christmas holiday."
Buying gifts and worrying about if we have everything for everybody.
Worrying about whether our gift is "the right thing" or "good enough."
Getting sucked into the world view and worldliness that Christmas has become.
But what is Christmas?
What does Christmas really mean?
We don’t consider that for many, Christmas has become a time of great stress and worry.
For many, Christmas has become a time of depression and loneliness.
For many, Christmas has become a time to reflect on what they don't have.
But that's no more Christmas than the worldliness of the other extreme of Christmas.
That's not what God has intended.
Christmas is a time of celebration.
Christmas is a time of reflection.
Christmas is a time of Tidings and Great Joy!
Christmas is when we can come together and celebrate the birth of our Risen Savior!
Centuries of prophesy and anticipation!
Centuries of waiting and wanting!
All coming to culmination in this one time, when Christ is born!
So this morning that's what I want to talk about, this time of good tidings and great joy!
So, Luke 2, starting in verse 1 . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Fear Not
Fear Not
So, I know we read the entire Christmas story, but I want to pick back up in verse 8, because this is where our part of the story picks up this morning.
Again, Luke 2, starting in verse 8 . . .
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
So, we pick up and find a group of shepherds out in the field.
Scripture says that they were living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
So, they were out there in the field, probably in the fall of the year, not in December as we have come to celebrate.
They were watching over their sheep, watching out for the wolves that wanted to come and devour them.
So they are just out there in the field minding their own business, doing their own thing, living their life without a clue of any significant things that were taking place.
Kind of how we live our everyday lives today for the most part.
We get so wrapped up and engrossed in our own everyday lives that we sort of forget about anything else going on in the world or outside our scope of influence.
We get focused on the issues that we face day in and day out, distracted by the things of the world, and we forget that there are bigger things out there.
There are higher powers at work in the world.
We forget that God is still out there steering the ship and that He is in control of all things.
We are out there guarding our own sheep (protecting our interests) and we are oblivious to what God is doing around us.
This is where our shepherds are at, at this moment.
Then it happens!
A moment that would change all their lives.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The Angel of the Lord appeared to them!
They were looking face to face with the Angel of the Lord!
Now, depending on the translation, the English may say “The Angel of the Lord” or “An Angel of the Lord.”
It doesn’t really matter because this is a representative of God Almighty coming down to visit them!
And notice that the Angel didn't wait until they were in the synagogue or place of worship to come and visit them!
Notice that the Angel didn't wait until it was convenient for them before the Angel came and had a visit with them!
They are out there in the middle of this field, in the middle of the night and LO, as the KJV puts it, the Angel of the Lord appeared!
And what was their response?
They were absolutely terrified!
In other words, they were scared to death!
They didn't know if this angel had come to save them or destroy them!
The reason being, because this was the closet thing to God they had ever seen and they were standing face to face with this angel and they didn't know how they stood with God!
They were kind of like Isaiah when he said . . .
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Think about it, how would we react to the Angel of the Lord?
Would we be "terrified?"
I think the answer to that depends on where we stand with God!
Do we have a reason to be terrified of God?
Are our lips unclean?
Are we right with God?
If the Angel of the Lord appeared right now, would He be justified in striking us dead?
Well, yes, unless you are covered by the blood of Jesus!
So, these shepherds were scared to death of the angel!
However, His purpose was not to bring judgment on them!
His purpose was not to bring condemnation!
His purpose was to deliver the message of hope!
His purpose was to deliver the GOOD NEWS
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Don't be afraid shepherds, I'm bringing good news!
Don't be afraid, I'm going to tell you something that will bring great joy to all of mankind!
A Savior Is Born
A Savior Is Born
And just what was that Good New?
Glad you asked!
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
The Good News is that today is a great day!
Today is a day of hope!
Today is a day that has been prophesied for generations!
Today is the day that you have been waiting for!
And as Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 6 . . .
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
The Angel says, that Today in the City of David, A Savior, which is Christ the Lord, has been born!
The Blessed Hope!
The Savior of all mankind!
The Christ has come!
He has been born!
The day has come!
No more waiting!
No more longing!
No more anticipation!
SALVATION HAS COME!
Not just for those shepherds 2000 years ago!
Not just for the Jews of old.
Not just for the people of the ancient world!
But Salvation has come for ALL MANKIND! For all generations!
Not just for them, but for us as well.
FOR YOU AND FOR ME!
Do you hear me? Salvation has come!
This was AND is cause for celebration.
Not only for all the earth but for heaven as well!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
All of heaven celebrates the birth of Christ, Do we?
But now, hearing that the Savior has come, the Shepherds have to see Him.
They have to find Him.
They have to Meet Him!
The Angel gives them the sign of how they are going to find Him.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Seeking A Savior
Seeking A Savior
That's all it took, just going to find Him.
And they had to MEET JESUS, they had to KNOW JESUS.
Nothing was going to stop them, nothing was going to stand in their way!
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
So, when the angels had gone away and the worship service was over, they said we got to go!
We've got to go find Jesus!
Notice is says that they hurried off.
In other words, they didn't waste any time.
They didn't hum haul around, trying to justify not going.
They didn't make any excuses as to why they couldn't go and find Jesus!
Jesus was made known to them and they had to go and find Him!
And that is just what they did . . .
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
They found Jesus, lying in the manger, just like the Angel had told them.
They didn't recognize Him though as just some helpless baby.
They knew who He was at that point.
They knew they were looking face to face with the Savior of the World.
They knew that they had met their savior!
And, what did they do from there?
Did they just turn around and go back to the field?
Did they just meet Jesus and go back to doing their own thing?
Nope . . .
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
They went out and told others about Jesus!
They spread the Good News, the Good tidings, the Great Cheer!
They did what Christians should do!
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
What about us here today?
What does Christmas mean to us?
The Lord has made Himself known to you here today.
What are we going to do about it?
Do we care?
Do we want to meet Him?
Do we want to know Him?
We don't have to travel to a manger in Bethlehem to find Him.
We don't have to go out into a field and wait on an angel to appear to us.
We can meet Him right here, right now, TODAY.
There is nothing to fear, only great Joy to be had!
So, if you don't know Him, I invite you to come today and meet Him.
Meet the Savior of the World.
Maybe you have met Jesus, but have lost your way.
Got so wrapped up in the things of the world, doing your own thing, protecting your own interests.
You've gotten so busy, you forgot what Christmas is, what it is all about.
That can be renewed today, changed today.
It's not about gifts, parties, or plays. IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS.
If your Christmas has been about everything but Jesus, I invite you to come and rededicate this Holiday to the Christ, whose Birth We Celebrate!
Let’s Pray . . .